L I F E H A C K E R

RAMIT S ETHI

JOBS

12/27/12 2:00p m
171,340

35

How to Tackle Three of the Toughest Interview Questions

You got the job interview. You prepared by studying the company and thinking about your interview answers. Now what? What separates candidates who get job
offers from everyone else? It turns out that interviews are not merely about answering the interviewer's questions. Interviewing is a skill that can be
systematically improved. Here are three of the toughest interview questions. You'll see what most people say and how to improve your answers to land a top
job.

Tell me about your work history

PDFmyURL.com

What most people say: "Oh, uhh...well, I started working at Acme Corp doing marketing work. Then I worked at A&B as a marketing manager, managing daily
emails. Then I went to C&D, which is where I am now, and I've been in charge of PR and marcom."
What you should say: "If you look at my work experience, there are 3 things that stand out. First, I have experience with many areas of marketing, including
PR, advertising, and marcom. Second, I have a quantitative background in terms of what I studied, and my recent email-marketing experience. Finally, I've
always wanted to take my skills to a larger stage, which is why I moved from A&B to C&D, and now I'm excited to be here talking with you.
Why this works: The hiring manager doesn't need you to walk him through your resume chronologicallyhe can read what's on the page, after all. It's far more
valuable for you to highlight the key strengths of your background. If you've done your pre-interview homework, you'll know what aspects are most important
(e.g., in the above example, the candidate noticed that this position would be quantitative, which is why he highlighted his quantitative background).

Tell me about one of your weaknesses

What most people say: "You know, I work too hard and sometimes have trouble with perfectionism."
What you should say: "I've spent the majority of my career working for one industry. In some ways, that can limit my perspective. Of course, I've worked in a
variety of departmentsand in fact I was promoted faster than anyone else to run project Xbut I'm ready to take what I've learned to a dierent culture and
industry, and that's why I'm here."
Why this works: This question is a minefield that traps most candidates. If you answer too honestly"I'm irritable in the morning and bad at time management"
you're an instant no-hire. But if you answer in a lie, it's transparently obvious. So be honest about your weakness, but be careful to explain what you've done
to improve this weakness.

Tell me about a challenge you faced with a coworker

What most people say: "This one time, my coworker and I had a disagreement over something. It was pretty bad, but we worked things out in the end."
What you should say: "I once had a situation when I was presenting business ideas to the CEO of my company. He liked the ideas, but one of the VPs kept
shooting them downand I couldn't figure out why. Honestly, at first I was upset, but after digging into the issue, I realized it was because my plans would
impact the VP's work in a negative way. I reached out to him directly, apologized for the oversight, and promised to keep him in the loop in the future. We
haven't had an issue since."
PDFmyURL.com

Why this works: There are two main reasons the second answer is more effective: First, the longer answer shows how the candidate took control of the
situation. Second, notice the difference in specificity. In a job interview, details sell, so the more specific you are, the more memorable you will be.
Interviewing isn't about being inauthentic or sleazy. It's about presenting your very best self to the interviewer and mutually deciding if this is a good fit for you.

Ramit Sethi is the author of the New York Times bestseller, I Will Teach You To Be Rich . He's used these interview techniques to land job offers at companies like Google, Intuit, and a multi-billion-dollar
hedge fund.

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Like

157 participant
participants

436

Discuss

About Help Terms of Use Privacy Advert ising Permissions Cont ent Guidelines RSS Jobs

St erling
Anonymust
annot
arj8138
ant
screamername
BeingHealt
mickeyangel
doorways
JohnJohnson01101101010
hro-pologist
Ramit
ard
hyandFit
Ramit
Ramit
Sethi
Ramit
Sethi
Ramit
Ramit
Sethi
Sethi
Sethi
Ramit Sethi
U URamit
U URamit
U Sethi
UUSethi
URamit
USethi
U Sethi
Is itha...
"The
"Interviewing
Ive
You'd
Awesome!
Ha
Agonising
Honestly,
For
[weirdly]
"Tell
just
hiring
think
Ime
didn't
me
the
corporate
Some
manager
someone
orabout
never
isn't
suggested
are
even
good
about
these
one
gotten
doesn't
read
bullshit.
who
answer
of
kind
being
answer
the
truly
your
theneed
of
Iname
biggest
inauthentic...."
pity
guidelines
has
weaknesses"
questions
for
you
anyone
of
issues
two
the
to sounds
weakness
walk
author,
here,
just
with
who
Really?
my
lazy
him
perfectionism
especially
has
about
question.
and
experience
through
and
been
My
asas
inefficient?
Iimpression
interviewed
BS-y
was
My
the
your
leads
would
2nd
go
reading
as
resume
to
question
the
Let
me
think
would
was
in'sometimes
to
it,
me
chronologicallyhe
this
Iup
the
that
explain:
was
-actually
way.
afollowing
aifbetter
mature
wondering
you
Come
I work
be
want
response,
response
answer:
ajoin
modification
too
the
"This
the
can
job,
hard'
really.
creative
from
advice
read
you
answer.
the
of
what's
should
12/27/12
sure
industries.
the
experienced
bad
sounds
on
tell
3:20pm
the
example,
the12/29/12
page,
familiar",
interviewer
worker.
after
saying
5:57am
Ithen
all."
will
what
that
bam
putim
hethem
atnot
wants
theatobottom
morning
to hear:it's
work,
person,
Ramit...
exaggerate
im
paraphrasing
muchI more
gotta
your
offocused
stop
course.
abilities
wasting
and
12/27/12
andproductive
my
make
3:09pm
timepromises
oningawker
the afternoon/evening.
yousites....and
may not be
start
able
12/29/12
implementing
to keep.
7:38am
It'sRamit's
like being
advice.
a politician.
12/27/12 12/29/12
5:21pm 11:05am
"Tell
You'd
At
"Like
theme
everybody
like
interview
about
to think
your
for
inthat,
the
my
work
but
world,
current
history"
you'd
Ijob
am
beInot
surprised
was
a perfect
askedhow
"What
guy.
often
During
areit your
appears
past
weaknesses,
work
that experience,
the hiring
or *laughs*
manager
some as
of
hasn't
you
the feedback
Americans
even glanced
I had
would
atfrom
your
say,
managers
resume
what could
orwas
expects
you
thatimprove?"
I you
can work
to basically
I on
took that as
Clark U anthro-pologist
Lunalacert
a U mickeyangel
1
arephrase
improving
cue to be
the
my
honest,
entire
[insert
thing.
and
anysaid
(Iskill
get
that
here
that
sometimes
-it'sbeing
all part
honest
I could
of selling
helps!]
get very
yourself
skills.
stressed
Inbut
order
goddamn
out,toand
do need
so,
is itIannoying.)
a fewthe
took
minutes
following
(or aactions:
few Xanax!
[action
1],
that
[action
part was
2] ...only
etc. This
in myhelped
head) me
to calm
to
You kramst
have it er
in front
of
you.
Why
not
ask
something
specific
about
one
of
the
jobs
instead
of
asking
a
really
broad
question?
Wouldn't
interviewers
learn
more
BeingHealthyandFit
Uskill here]
the
a[insert
perfectionist"
answer
isthe
soThe
triteinterviewer
that
it won't
convey
sincerity,
even
ifIit's
true.
12/27/12
You"I'm
don't
getIinterviewed
to join
creative
industries.
Youof
up an
old
friend
and
intern
for
65:06pm
months
to several
years
hope
the
carrot
down
improve
before
could
function
and
again.
accomplish
[insert
a couple
asked
if call
Iconsequences
could
handle
it;
of
improving
said
yes.
An
that
hour
particular
later I skill],,
got
a call
which
offering
BTWand
me
brought
the position.
me proverbial
a [insert a positive
Ifrom
find candidates
leading questions
by asking
about
more
specifics
focusedtoquestions?
be the better
Forchoice.
example:
Not"Ithe
see
"Give
you've
me done
a broad
a lotoutline"
of marketing
stuff. The
jobs.
resume
What is your
the outline,
area oflet's
expertise
get down
and towhat
business
trends do
Ramit's
the
man.
12/27/12
7:11pm
dangling
from
a stick
wasn't
just a made
upreview,
incentive
to make
you work
Then you
get shat out of the other end as fast as your grunt work can be sold to
reward here
- ex:
diploma,
positive
annual
thank
you letter
from there.
a colleague
... etc]."
you follow?"
already.
There
are
12/28/12
at least
(Just
9:35am
some
because
employers
someone
who
haswill
experience
appreciate
in X,
being
Y and
given
Z doesn't
a real answer.
mean heAtisleast
goodasatlong
all ofasthem)
your weakness isn't on par with rolling around in your own
the highest
bidder.
eliset hest
range U Clark
feces. 12/28/12
Going
with this6:11am
type of answer shows that you are aware of the things you have to work on and most important - it shows you can take actions which give
Weaknesses
Seriously,
does
anyone
still
even
use
that?
5:38pm
Or
atididt
least
that's
how
it works
inthe
2012.
12/29/12
1:27pm
positive
results.
At
but not
least
- it12/27/12
shows
you can well communicate by well describing the facts (present situation, present the actions you have taken,
hat
once
Anonymustard
Ulast,
Am
I
the
only
one
who
rewards
blunt
truth?
You're
irritable
in the morning? Good thing we have a flexible work schedule. As long as you bring something else
present
resulthad
of an
your
actions). start complaining about my
No joke,the
I once
interviewer
lack of accounting experience mid-interview. My resume is super-clear: I've only done minor
Clark
and
others...
that we
need
to1 the
table it doesn't matter. Bad at time management? If you produce quality work and are willing to work on it I'll just assign you a strict
assisting
payables. It was plainly obvious that he hadn't even read the damn thing. I was so pissed. 12/28/12 1:42pm
I hope thistohelps.
PDFmyURL.com

payables. It was plainly obvious that he hadn't even read the damn thing. I was so pissed. 12/28/12 1:42pm
Iassisting
hope thistohelps.
manager that can keep you in check. Giving me an answer like the one suggested only tells me that you like to beat around the bush. A lot. That shows later on,
whenBTW
P.S.
you -have
If you
to take
reallyresponsibility
wanna get that
forjob
something.
... Nobody
Instead
has weaknesses
of "This is what
- wehappened...
all have strong
this istraits
whatand
didn't
traitswork
WE...WOULD
this is what
LIKE
did..."
TOall
IMPROVE!
I'll get is "The
12/30/12
market
6:50am
changed/our testing didn't account for our competitor doing X/hurricane hit..." We all have weaknesses. It's up to HR to select people and form teams so that they
complement each other.
Challenge with coworker
Things I can gather from suggested answer:
- you don't research the impact your ideas would have on existing products/work going on
- You stepped back because someone your senior was already working on something similar. You never mentioned if your idea would be an improvement?
- Do you prefer org. structure where people more senior than you are considered right and you have to get with the status quo?
- How did you dig into the issue? Did you face him right then and there/asked around why he's shooting you down/sent him an email/etc.
More revealing questions:
- How often do you disagree with your coworkers and what about?
- Why; is it their character, the issue you're working on...?
- How do you determine who is right/wrong/if you're all partially right/wrong?
- (my favorite) Suggest a possible scenario. Let him play it out. Throw in a curve ball every now and then.
Am I wrong in thinking like this? 12/27/12 11:42pm
esquire_91 U Sterling
I think interviewers generally have douzens of interviews a day, and barely read your CV in advance, they probably just take a quick look (there was an article
on lh about that some while ago).
The trick is to lead the conversation in the direction you describe here by leaving the interviewer no other choice but to ask more in-depth questions. It shows a
more valuable quality then all your experience combined: beging able to take controle and steer any conversation into the desired direction. 12/28/12 2:15am

PDFmyURL.com

THINGY11 U Sterling
Broad questions often are an invitation for you to demonstrate that you have personality and can communicate well. If you mumble a response or don't open the
question up, the interviewer will make judgements on your gregariousness and communications skills. 12/28/12 6:56am
obeards and 3 others...

PDFmyURL.com